Condenser



Aug. 13, 1935.

| e. BURLINGAME 2,011,555

CONDENSER Filed Feb. 18, 1933 INVENTOE. Leslzb GBurlingame av K ATTO/F/VEY 2s a Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONDENSER Application February 18, 1033, Serial No. 657,336

The present invention relates to flxed condensers of the extended foil type and more particularly to terminal connections therefor.

Analogous devices of the prior art possess certain disadvantages which are objectionable. For example, the terminal connections thereof, usually in the form of short lengths of suitable wire having one end soldered to the marginal edges of the foil layers are weak, are not suinciently flexible at their point of connection to withstand repeated flexing without fracturing the soldered Joint, and are not capable of withstanding longitudinal stresses without tearing out from the foil edges.

Various other forms of fixed condenser connections have been proposed heretofore with the object of obviating the above-noted objections. Such connections have, however, also been found to be unsatisfactory due to excessive cost of manufacture, weakness, limited flexibility, and inability to withstand rough handling.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide improved terminal connections for relatively small fixed condensers which are not sub- Ject to the above-noted disadvantages and ob- Jections.

Another object of my invention is to provide a condenser, of the character specified, with a plurality of terminal connections whereby the condenser may be effectively supported without impairing the union between the condenser and the terminal connections.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved flexible terminal members for condensers of the character specified which are so attached thereto that longitudinal stresses, when applied to said members tend to enhance the union between the condenser and the terminal members.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved flexible terminal members for condensers of the character specified which, when attached thereto, are adapted to withstand greater pull, stress, or flexing without tearing loose from the condenser or otherwise impairing the union therebetween.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved electrical connections or terminal members for fixed condensers of the paper and foil type which are cheap to manufacture, readily and conveniently attached thereto, and so arranged with respect to the body of the condenser that the union between the condenser and each terminal member is enhanced.

With the above and other objects in view, the

invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, the novel features of which are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a fixed condenser illustrating the preferred form of my improved terminal members attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a partly completed condenser and illustrating the terminal members prior to their attachment thereto;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modiflcation of the terminal members shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout, a conventional form of fixed condenser, generally indicated at l0, comprises a plurality of suitable paper strips l I which are wound on a mandrel or arbor (not shown) with a plurality of strips of metal foil l2 therebetween, the strips of foil I2 being spaced edgewise to extend the marginal edge portions l3 thereof beyond the marginal edges of the paper strips ii.

In accordance with my invention, the condenser I is provided at each end with a flexible terminal connection or member T which is constituted by a single length of suitable wire it bent upon itself substantially intermediate its ends and with the free end ii of the bent por ion i6 bent at right angles thereto as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. g

The doubled end ll of each terminal wire H is inserted in the central opening it extending through the condenser l0 until each bent end l abuts the outer marginal edge It of each foil strip l2 whereupon each bent end I! is secured in intimate contact with the foil strips I! by means of a suitable solder or the like as indicated at l9. After the terminal wires it have been so secured, the condenser I0 is subsequently inserted, preferably, in a rigid tube 20 of suitable material (Fig. 1) which is greater in length than the condenser l0 so that the ends of the tube 20 will extend beyond 'the marginal edge portions of the foil strips I! for the purpose of receiving a suitable sealing compound indicated at 2| whereby the condenser I0 is sealed within the tube 20 as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

While I have shown and described the condenser ID as enclosed ina rigid cylindrical container, I may also wrap the condenser in a suitable sheet of paper or the like, close the open ends of the wrapper with a sealing compound and subsequently dip the condenser so wrapped in an impregnating wax or the like.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 3, a pair of terminal members Tcomprising suitable lengths of insulated flexible wire 22 are passed through the condenser ill, by means of the central opening 3 therein. One bare end 22 of each wire 22 is bent at right angles thereto for the purpose of abutting the foil edge face at each end of the condenser l0 and subsequently suitably soldering the bent ends 23 thereto whereby the free end portions of the terminal wires are extended through the condenser III in opposite directions.

In the modified form of terminal member T shown in Fig. 4, a length of suitable wire 24 is formed similarly to the wire l4 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the bent free end 25, which extends radially from the major portion of the wire 24,continues around the wire 24 in the form of a ring 26, having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the foil roll exposed at each end of the condenser l0.

While zinc or tin foil is usually employed in the manufacture of condensers such as herein described, aluminum foil is often preferable. In the latter case, a terminal member, such as illustrated in Fig. 4, is preferably employed due to the difliculty experienced in soldering or otherwise attaching a terminal member to the aluminum foil. For this reason the bent free end 25 of the wire 24 (Fig. 4) is continued in the form of a circle about the wire 24 to provide a greater amount of wire for effecting a soldered connection with the foil ends of the condenser. Moreover, the circular portion 26 permits a suitable aluminum solder to be puddled within the ring 26 and over the protruding marginal edge of each foil layer whereby the union between the terminal members and the condenser is enhanced.

While I have shown and described my improved terminalmembersasformedfrombareorinsulated wire, it is to be expressly understood that I may substitute thin. flat metallic strips, either bare or insulated, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Although I have shown certain smciiic embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

' I claimas my invention:

1. In a fixed condenser having a central opening throughout its length, a marginal foil edge protruding from opposite ends thereof, a pair of reversely bent terminal members each having one end thereof extending laterally therefrom and terminating in a ring encircling a portion of each terminal member, one of said terminal members being partly disposed in each end of said condevser and the encircling ring of each member secured to one of said foil edges, a container for said condenser, and means for sealing said condenser and a portion of said members within said container.

2. In a capacitor of the type constituted by a plurality of electrically conductive foils separated by insulating material and rolled upon themselves to form a hollow cylinder from an end of which projects an edge of one of the foils, a U-shape terminal member, the closed end of the member being disposed within the central opening around which the foil-edge projects, and the end of one leg of the member being bent over and aflixed to the foil-edge whereby, when the free leg of the terminal member is subjected to tension the closed end thereof may yield sufllciently to afi'ord a measure of protection to the junction between the other leg and the foil-edge.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 additionally characterized in that the bent-over end of the terminal member encircles the projecting free end thereof.

4. As an article of manufacture, a U-shape terminal member for capacitors of the rolled type, one leg of the member being bent over and encircling the other leg.

LESLIE G. BURLINGAME. 

